jvn

Dave Grohl wrote “Everlong” while falling in love with Louise Post of Veruca Salt, shortly after the collapse of his first marriage. The song's iconic drum track was actually recorded by Grohl himself after he re-recorded most of the album's drums, leading original drummer William Goldsmith to leave the band. The song reached #3 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, but its legacy transcends rock radio. It famously became TV host David Letterman's all-time favorite song, and he had the band perform it upon his return from heart surgery in 2000 and again to close his final late-night broadcast in 2015. The song's dreamlike music video, directed by Michel Gondry, won the Best Group Video award at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards.

“Golden Brown” is from The Stranglers’ 1981 album La Folie. During the sessions at The Manor Studio, Hugh Cornwell and Jean-Jacques Burnel decided to go to the pub and leave keyboardist Dave Greenfield and drummer Jet Black to create something from scratch. The result was the song’s distinctive harpsichord melody and unusual 13-beat structure. Released as a single in 1982, it reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart (the band’s highest position there) and became one of their best-known songs. The record label had initially been reluctant to release it, thinking it didn’t sound like The Stranglers.